Builder's Guide to Cold Climates: Details for Design and Construction

Rating:
Summary: Best book on subject
Review: I have reviewed lots of books and magazines on residential building techniques for energy and resource efficieny. There is a lot of confusion and misinformation out there. This book clears it up in one authoritative and concise guide to building techniques. For those who want to know how and why to build it right. Best source available on moisture control and insulation applications. Challenges some conventional wisdom. Concepts demonstrated in great graphics. Listiburek is a respected expert.

Rating:
Summary: Direct and informative
Review: Well focused and aimed at the home builder in 6500 degree-day and colder climes, e.g. Minnesota, it contains a complete roundup of insulation, ventilation, and moisture-proofing problems. The basic format consists of a text discussion of a topic, followed by a section containing numerous architectural drawings that illustrate the material. These subjects are misunderstood by many, so it's good to have a book that covers the material in easy-to-understand language and drawings.

Rating:
Summary: Very useful, in particular the cross-sections, etc...
Review: When I initially flipped through this book, I figured it would be worth having for the bountiful diagrams and appendices alone. It turned out that these are indeed the best part of the book -- Lstiburek's choppy writing becomes annoying quickly, and even confrontational (i.e. "...for those who may not get it, [rant excluded] Get it?")

But it may be the most comprehensive book on this subject at the moment, and the various construction details make it worth the price of admission.